Re: Simple E-mail provider?

[Greg Troxel <gdt%lexort.com@localhost>]

Paul Goyette <paul%whooppee.com@localhost> writes:

> I'm looking to remove all local handling of E-mail, and intend to
> rely on some web-based system instead.

Do you mean all of
  - don't run an outgoing MTA (accepts via submission, does DKIM)
  - don't run an inbound MTA (listens on 25, spamfilters, delivers)
  - don't run an IMAP server
  - don't run any program (Thunderbird, K-9 on Android) that accesses
    mail over IMAP?

  - I want to keep my domain and email address, just change the hosting
    scheme.

I get the "I want somebody else to run my mail server", but I am not
following "only web-based instead".

> Looking for suggestions on who to use as "host" for email and dns
> (currently handled by easydns.com but managed/maintained by me).

DNS and mail are separable but given DKIM/SPF/DMARC it may be easier to
have one place.

> Ease of transition and minimization of on-going maintenance are
> major decision factors.

Those should both be ok with good providers; many others have the same
sorts of feelings.

> Also want to be able to eliminate as much html mail as possible, both
> in- and out-bound.

Wanting to not send html make makes sense :-)

Wanting to eliminate inbound HTML mail, I can sort of see but not
really.  I'd implement that by

  score	HTML_MESSAGE	100

in spamassassin.  Is that what you mean?  Or something else?


As for recommendations, I'm firmly in the doing-it-myself camp but I
have been paying attention because, as is surely like most of us here,
everyone asks me for computer advice.  I would look at:

  https://www.fastmail.com/
  https://posteo.de/en
  https://www.pair.com/pair-platinum-mail/


I would set as requirements, beyond well-run
  - terms are essentially an NDA with respect to your mail data and
    metadata
  - service does not do business with spammers at all
  - straightforward IMAP available (even if you don't want it this week)
  - no ties to a particular OS

Lots of places fail on point 1, basically any place that deals in
surveillance-based advertising can't be trusted.  That leaves places
that take money for service.

Google fails on point 2; while they probably try, it seems new accounts
sign up and spam all the time, and the problem continues.  I conclude
that they aren't trying hard enough.

MS fails on point 3; they seem to want people to use some exchange
protocol instead.  I have an alum account that's defective this way and
the institution seems to fail to understand this point.

Apple fails on point 4.  While you can use apple mail from non-apple
devices, the situation is awkward and I don't think it's reasonable to
rely on it continuing.